What Desertlink does

DesertLink is a FERC-regulated electric transmission utility domiciled in Nevada and headquartered in New York, jointly owned by LS Power (parent/developer) and NV Energy (Nevada's largest electric utility). Its core asset is the 345 kV Harry Allen-Eldorado transmission line near Las Vegas, placed in service in 2020, which provides additional import and export capability between Nevada and southern California and improves reliability and resiliency of the western United States grid. The company was selected by CAISO (California Independent System Operator) in 2016 through a competitive solicitation to expand the CAISO footprint into southern Nevada, and it is planning a 500 kV transmission line connection to the Sloan Canyon Substation by 2028 as part of a CAISO-approved transmission project.

DesertLink's technology is conventional high-voltage transmission infrastructure: 345 kV and (planned) 500 kV lines connecting named substations, with no proprietary software or AI components disclosed. The company operates within a regulated framework, generating revenue through FERC formula rates that are filed annually, including Transmission Revenue Balancing Account Adjustment (TRBAA) filings, projections, and Attachment A disclosures. Customers are effectively limited to grid operators and utilities in the western United States, principally CAISO and NV Energy; pricing and rate design are set through regulatory processes rather than commercial negotiation. Marketing and stakeholder engagement occur through the LS Power Grid website, FERC postings, stakeholder meetings, and informational filings (FERC Docket Nos. ER20-1544 through ER26-2235).

The business model is a regulated utility model: predictable, formula-rate revenue tied to a defined rate base, with growth driven by approved capital projects rather than sales motion. DesertLink has 11-50 employees, no disclosed revenue or external funding, and no subsidiaries, M&A activity, or leadership changes in the input data. Strategic optionality centers on the planned Sloan Canyon expansion and on the broader LS Power Grid portfolio of transmission utilities.

Name

Desertlink

Legal name

DesertLink

Website

https://desertlinktransmission.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DesertLink is a FERC-regulated electric transmission utility, jointly owned by LS Power and NV Energy, that operates the 345 kV Harry Allen-Eldorado line near Las Vegas to move power between Nevada and southern California under CAISO oversight.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Transmission Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control (221121)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC Transmission Lines (EHV/UHV Overhead & Underground) (EUADAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transmission Substations & High-Voltage Switchyards (EUADAAAF), Cross-Border Interconnectors & Regional Transmission Coordination (EUADAAAB)

Keywords

• Electric transmission services
• High-voltage transmission lines
• FERC-regulated utility
• Grid interconnection infrastructure
• Cross-border transmission capacity

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Electric Transmission Services: DesertLink operates as a FERC-regulated transmission utility generating revenue through formula rates. The company files annual updates, projections, and formula rate filings with FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) including TRBAA (Transmission Revenue Balancing Account Adjustment) filings. Revenue is derived from providing electric transmission capacity that enables import and export capability between Nevada and southern California.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DesertLink operates high-voltage electric transmission infrastructure in Nevada, including the 345 kV Harry Allen-Eldorado transmission line near Las Vegas and a planned 500 kV connection to the Sloan Canyon Substation. As a FERC-regulated transmission utility selected by CAISO, it provides import and export capability between Nevada and southern California, improving grid reliability and lowering electricity costs for consumers.

Product overview

DesertLink is a single electric transmission utility service offered by LS Power Grid. The company operates transmission infrastructure in Nevada, specifically connecting the Harry Allen Substation to the Eldorado Substation, with plans to expand to the Sloan Canyon Substation by 2028. The utility provides import/export capability between Nevada and southern California within the CAISO (California Independent System Operator) footprint, improving grid reliability and reducing electricity costs for consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Harry Allen-Eldorado Transmission Line (345 kV) Operates a 345 kV electric transmission line near Las Vegas that connects the Harry Allen Substation to the Eldorado Substation, providing import and export capability between Nevada and southern California and improving grid reliability and resiliency in the western United States.
• Sloan Canyon 500 kV Transmission Connection (planned) Planned 500 kV transmission line connection between the existing Harry Allen-Eldorado transmission line and the Sloan Canyon Substation, expanding transmission capacity in support of the CAISO grid.
• FERC-Regulated Transmission Service (Formula Rates) FERC-regulated electric transmission service sold to wholesale grid operators (CAISO) and utilities via formula rates, providing recurring revenue and contractually-defined transmission capacity access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Improved grid reliability and resiliency in the western United States
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NV EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020NV Energy is a joint owner of DesertLink alongside LS Power. The partnership provides operational integration with Nevada's largest electric utility, enabling NV Energy to utilize DesertLink's transmission infrastructure to serve its utility customers. The joint ownership structure combines LS Power's development expertise with NV Energy's operational presence in Nevada.
• LS PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020LS Power (through LS Power Development, LLC) is the majority owner and parent company of DesertLink. LS Power provides development expertise, capital investment, and corporate governance for DesertLink's transmission infrastructure projects. As a major power sector developer, LS Power brings industry experience and financial resources to the partnership.
• CAISO (California Independent System Operator)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016DesertLink was selected by CAISO in 2016 through a competitive solicitation process to support energy flow management in and out of California by expanding the CAISO transmission footprint into southern Nevada. This is a core strategic partnership as CAISO serves as the primary market operator and customer for DesertLink's transmission services. The partnership involves ongoing regulatory coordination and CAISO approval of transmission projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• TransCanyon: Independent transmission developer focused on building high-voltage interregional transmission projects in the western U.S. Its project-development and competitive-solicitation model closely mirrors DesertLink's CAISO-selected approach.
• ITC Holdings: Pure-play, FERC-regulated transmission utility operating high-voltage transmission assets across multiple U.S. regions. It is highly comparable in operating model — transmission-only, formula-rate revenue — though at substantially greater scale than DesertLink.
• Anbaric: Independent transmission developer that designs and proposes high-voltage electric transmission projects, often tied to renewable interconnection. It is comparable to DesertLink as a non-utility, project-based EHV transmission developer competing in U.S. competitive solicitations.
• Silver Run Electric: LS Power Grid-affiliated independent transmission utility in the PJM region. It shares DesertLink's formula-rate, FERC-regulated transmission-utility model and is developed under the same LS Power parent platform.
• Cross Texas Transmission: Another FERC-regulated, CAISO-style independent transmission utility operated by LS Power Grid in Texas. It is directly comparable in business model (formula-rate transmission utility), regulatory framework, and sponsor backing to DesertLink.

Broad incumbents

• NextEra Energy Transmission: Transmission-focused subsidiary of NextEra Energy that develops and operates high-voltage transmission projects across North America. It overlaps with DesertLink's business but is part of a much larger, diversified energy platform.
• Duke Energy: Large U.S. investor-owned utility with significant regulated transmission assets, including interconnections in the Carolinas and Midwest. Its regulated transmission operations are comparable in regulatory framework, though transmission is only one part of a broad generation, distribution, and retail utility business.
• Southern California Edison: Major California investor-owned utility that owns and operates high-voltage transmission infrastructure within CAISO. It is comparable to DesertLink because both serve the same CAISO-controlled grid at the Nevada–California interface, but at vastly different scale and scope.
• American Electric Power: One of the largest U.S. transmission-owning utilities with extensive EHV transmission networks across multiple regions. Comparable to DesertLink in regulated EHV transmission operations, though it is a vertically integrated utility with much greater scale and geographic reach.

Others

• NV Energy: Nevada's largest vertically integrated electric utility and joint owner of DesertLink. It is adjacent rather than directly competing — using DesertLink's transmission while co-owning it — and provides a useful reference point for Nevada grid economics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lspowergrid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desertlink-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Desertlink